


I Can Tell (that we are gonna be friends)

by rainbooks



Category: In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: High School, M/M, Pre-Series, secondary school
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 04:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2095605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbooks/pseuds/rainbooks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Of course Rick had seen Kieren before. </p><p>They both lived in the same tiny village and went to all the same tiny schools... </p><p>But he's never seen anyone stand up to Gary like that. It's so...cool. And someone THAT rabid is someone Rick wants to be friends with, without a doubt. </p><p>A pre-series story about the start of Rick and Ren's 4 EVER.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Can Tell (that we are gonna be friends)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bit short, but I like it, I think. 
> 
> I love, love, LOVE Kieren and Simon, but there's just something really innocent and tragic about Kieren and Rick that really gets to me. 
> 
> So here this is. I could leave it like this, or I could go on, but I think I'm happy with it, either way. 
> 
> Kieren's got a bit of a potty mouth when he's upset, so sorry about that.

Of course Rick had seen Kieren before. 

They both lived in the same tiny village and went to all the same tiny schools, and although Kieren was in the grade below, by the time he was sixteen years old he had thoroughly made it onto Gary’s shit list. As one of Gary’s best mates, Rick was usually around when he picked on someone - there to laugh when he made a joke, there to hold him back if someone dared to stand up to him - but something felt different about messing with Kieren Walker. 

He never flinched, that one. Never even glanced their way. Rick sort of got the feeling that for all their muscle and bravado, Kieren was the one with the upper hand somehow. Apparently though, Gary didn’t get that same impression. 

So there was this one time during their lunch break at school, Rick, Gary, and Dean come into the caf after smoking a couple of fags outside. They’d been messing with Philip Wilson pretty badly that week, and the day before, Rick was pretty sure they’d made him cry. That would be just about crossing the line in Rick’s opinion, but not for Gary. 

They walk through the cafeteria, laughing, toward their usual table, but Gary steers them toward Kieren. He and Philip had taken to sitting together recently, but this time he sat alone, stirring his peas with a plastic spoon. 

“Goodness, Kieren, where’s Lippy?” Gary asks, his tone feigning concern. Dean laughs stupidly behind him, but Rick can’t get himself to do the same. Kieren doesn’t look up and Gary clicks his tongue. “You two didn’t have a domestic, did ya? I’d hate for you to split, since you’re the only two faggots in town, and all. You’d never find anyone else, would you?”

Kieren sighs - it’s the most Gary has ever got from him. It spurs him on. 

“We didn’t hurt his feelings yesterday, did we?” says Gary. “We were just playing around, you know? We were just joking. A good spot of-”

“ _Shut your fucking mouth, Gary_.”

The whole caf shuts up in that secondary school sort of way. Gary actually does stop talking but his mouth hangs open and his eyebrows shoot up; too shocked to even respond. 

Kieren Walker, now he yanks down his sleeves and loosens his tie, and he says, “Every day - _every fucking day_ \- I have to listen to you run your mouth.” He stands up; steps back over the bench and Dean moves over a little to give him more space. “And I just want you to know, _Gary,_ ” he shoulders his bag and spins around to face him. “that I. Don’t. Care.”

Oh God. Kieren Walker’s tiny like a mouse, but like this - Rick’s never seen him like this - he’s mighty; someone bold and fearless; someone you’d want on your side. And he’s not really ginger, only sort of; not that anything’s wrong with being a ginger, it’s just that Kieren Walker isn’t one. And his hair is wild, but it’s like he meant it to be that way; and his hair is _wild_ just like his big, brown eyes. Oh, he’s got those big, brown, doe eyes and those nice…eyelashes. They’re long, that is.

Rick realizes that he’s smiling so he purses his lips to hide it. 

“I don’t care what you think of me, Gary.” Kieren continues, licking his bottom lip. “I don’t care what you have to say to me, or to Philip, or to anyone else. I’ve never even said a word to you, actually, so it isn’t as if we’re having this ongoing conversation, with these two _apes_ behind you fucking applauding after every word you say.” 

Now Kieren looks at Rick and Rick thinks it’s the first time their eyes have ever met and Kieren looks _so angry;_ so aggressive. But Rick’s trying not to laugh and he’s not too sure on what’s funny, exactly. 

He puts his hands up by his head and takes a step back. Nothing from me. 

"Just," Kieren sighs again, looking back at Gary. "leave Philip alone, okay? He doesn't need your bullshit."

Huffing, Kieren Walker pushes his way through the older boys and they all turn to watch him go. 

It’s quiet for a moment except for Kieren’s shoes on the linoleum. Then Gary says, “Looks like someone's on her rag!” louder than he should have if he’d just wanted Rick and Dean to hear. 

Dean laughs, and a couple other students sitting nearby do too, and Rick manages a sort of breathy chuckle watching the double doors swing shut after Kieren had rushed through them. 

Yeah. Of course he’d seen Kieren before.   



End file.
